Semiconductor manufacturing system and control method thereof

(after being amended) A control method of a semiconductor manufacturing system having a processing apparatus (11-17) which applies a process to semiconductor substrates,

• characterized by the steps of:
• storing priority-level data, which indicates a priority level of the process to be applied to each of the semiconductor substrates, in a memory part on an, individual semiconductor substrate basis;
• determining an order of processing a newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates being supplied to said processing apparatus based on a comparison of new priority-level data with the priority-level data stored in said memory part with respect to the semiconductor substrates of which process has been scheduled, the new priority-level data being supplied in response to the newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates being supplied to said processing apparatus;
• and
• causing said processing apparatus to apply the process to said newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates.

(after being amended) A control method of a semiconductor manufacturing system having a processing apparatus (11-17) which applies a process to semiconductor substrates,

• characterized by the steps of:
• storing priority-level data, which indicates a priority level of the process to be applied to each of the semiconductor substrates, in a memory part on an individual semiconductor substrate basis;
• monitoring a condition of the process in each of said processing apparatuses;
• determining an order of processing a newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates being supplied to said processing apparatus based on a comparison of new priority-level data with the priority-level data stored in said memory part with respect to the semiconductor substrates of which process has been scheduled, the new priority-level data being supplied in response to the newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates being supplied to said processing apparatus;
• selecting one of said processing apparatuses which applies the process to the newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates in accordance with the condition of the process and the order of processing;
• and
• causing said processing apparatus to apply the process to said newly supplied one of the semiconductor, substrates.

A computer-readable recording medium storing program code for causing a computer to control a process applied to semiconductor substrates,

• characterized by:
• first program code means for storing priority-level data which indicates a priority level of the process to be applied to each of the semiconductor substrates on an individual semiconductor substrate basis;
• second program code means for comparing new priority-level data with the previous stored priority-level data with respect to the semiconductor substrates of which process has been scheduled, the new priority-level data being supplied in response to the newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates being supplied to a processing apparatus;
• third program code means for determining an order of processing a newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates being supplied to said processing apparatus;
• and
• fourth program code means for causing said processing apparatus to apply the process to the newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates.

A computer-readable recording medium storing program code for causing a computer to control a process applied to semiconductor substrates by a plurality of processing apparatuses,

• characterized by:
• first program code means for storing priority-level data which indicates a priority level of the process to be applied to each of the semiconductor substrates on an individual semiconductor substrate basis;
• second program code means for monitoring a condition of the process in each of said processing apparatuses;
• third program code means for comparing new priority-level data with the previously stored priority-level data with respect to the semiconductor substrates of which process has been scheduled, the new priority-level data being supplied in response to the newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates to which the process is applied;
• fourth program code means for determining an order of processing the newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates being supplied to said processing apparatuses;
• fifth program code means for selecting one of said processing apparatuses which applies the process to the newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates in accordance with the condition of the process;
• and
• sixth program code means for causing the selected one of said processing apparatuses to apply the process to said newly supplied one of the semiconductor substrates.